In the days before Sabah joined Malaysia in 1963, the practice of architecture was under the Malayan-Singapore Association of Architects. The Association was under the purview and control of architects who were mostly expatriates working in the Public Works Department (now known as Jabatan Kerja Raya). However, when Sabah joined Malaysia in 1963, the Malayan-Singapore Association of Architects was relatively disorganized and unprepared for many issues facing the profession in the early days of Malaysia. Some of the major issues were:

Registration of Architects under PAM and the proposed Board of Architects, Malaysia;

Registration of Building Draftsman who were in existence long before Malaysia was formed;

The Architects Act and Scale of Minimum Fees;

Recognised Schools of Architecture and the Part 3 Professional Examination;

RIBA Form of Building Contract;

Lack of building regulations and town planning guidance. (GKKS was drafted and TP44 was being by Lands & survey Department and Town Planning Section to guide Local Authorities)

Non-Existence of Board control;

Professional responsibilities – some registered architect architects under the British were submitting both architectural and structural drawings;

Some Local Authorities were allowing engineers to submit architectural and submission plans;

Developers Act,

Infringement of Engineers doing architectural works; and

British Standard verses SIRIM.

To deal with the avalanche of issues and to provide a common body for consultation and communication, theSabah Association of Architects, headed by Mr. Lawrence Chin was initiated. The association included all those who were registered under the British.